Car retarder



June ll, 1929. w. J. LAFFEY.

CAR RETARDER Filed Feb. 17, 1928 3 sheets-sheet l VJune 11, 1929. w. J. LAFFEY 1,716,825

CAR RETARDEB Filed Feb. 17, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 afl/2407277 June 11, 1929. w. J. LAFFEY CAR RETARDERv Filed Feb, 1'7, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet Patented June 11, 1929.

NTED STATES WILLIAM J. LAFFEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR nn'rAaDnR.

Application filed February 1.7, 1828. Serial No. 255,008.

This invention pertains to a car retarder, adapted to prevent damage to cars and their contents during terminal switching, and one which is particularly adapted for installation in hump or gravity yards, but which is also adapted for use in level yards where flat switching is performed.

The main object of this invention is to provide a practical and improved car retarder of this kind which will operate entirely automatically, without the need of a human operator, thus avoiding the chance of human error; and to provide such a car retarder which will operate with full efliciency in the different yards of various gradient and under the different conditions of temperature and moisture, and whereby the cars of dilierent types and weights and with different speed and momentum, when entering the retarder, will be discharged thereby uniformly at the selected rate of speed. Another object is to provide the retarder with several. series or chains ot' elements, preferably in the form of chains of f shoes, for clasping the car wheels and to travel on the retarder in the direction of travel of the car, and to be set to travel at the desired or selected speed, for gradually retarding the speed of the different cars and discharging them uniformly at the selected speed. A further object is to provide automatically opcrating means for making the retarder operative by the entry of a car thereon, and to set the retarder at rest or inoperative when the car is discharged therefrom. Another object is to provide electric power means or drive means for automatically causing the chains of shoes to travel at the selected speed, and which means is arranged for driving` the chains of shoes in either of two reverse directions, and is also arranged to be left idle, if desired, while the shoes are caused to travel along with the car wheels over the retarder by means of their combined frictional andl magnetic engagement with the wheels. Still another object is to provide electro-magnetic means for pressing the shoes with great force against the wheels and to additionally cause a magnetic holding effect therebetween, thus providing a maximum braking effect, which may be adjusted. and which may be set to cause the wheels to slide before they leave the retarder.

The above objects and other objects and advantages are attained with this invention,

as will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferred form of this invention, having the cover plate broken away, and showing several car wheels on the retarder;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, show-ing a car with the wheels of one of its trucks o1 the retarder,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical ciosssection lon line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. l is a detail section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail section on line 5 5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. o is a side view showing the control bar of the automatic controlswitch actuated by the wheels of the car passing over the retarder;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section on line 7 7 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the electric operating mechanism and the wiring and switches thereon.

In the drawings my invention is illustrated in its preferred form of construction which comprises a housing or pit 10 wherein are provided pillars or posts 11 carrying I-beams 12 on which are supported the rails 13 of the portion of the switch track 13', that is located over the retarder.

The retarding or wheel engaging means of the retarder preferably comprises several series or chains of shoes 1li, arranged along both sides of the rail, for engaging and clasping the chilled or hardened rim part of the wheel therebetween, as indicated in the drawings. These shoes are arranged to travel with the wheels fw, in the direction of travel of the car e on the rails 13, and are preferably pivotally connected with link means 15 to form an endless chain or series of shoes, a chain of shoes being placed along each .side of each raid 13, as shown. Said chains of shoes are mount-ed for travel on sprocket wheels or members 16 which are journaled, with suitable shafts, on posts or supports 17 that are adjustably mounted with bolt and slot means 17 adjacent the opposite ends of pit 10; and

on idler wheels or pulleys 18 and 19 which` are adjustably mounted, respectively, with shafts 18 selectively fastenable in slots 20 provided in brackets 21 under I-beamsr 12, and with shafts 19 adjustably held in slots 22 in said I-beams, by means of nuts or threaded members 23 and 24. See Figs. 2, 3, and

7. By adjusting' said idler members 1S and 19, tart-her apart or closer together, one can modit'y the elVV tive or operative length of the upper or wheel engaging portion et the chain ot shoes, to the extent desired.

Means is provided for forcefully pressing the shoes against the wheel rims, and this means preferably c mprises beams or bars and 2G bearingY against the sides ot the shoes and along which the shoes travel. The inward beams Q5 are supported by rods 2.7 which are slidable in bearings Q8 on bracket. arms Q9 arising` from a table or plattorni 3() which is supported on legs 3l adjacent the center ot the pit; and the outer beams Q6 are similarly supported by rods 3Q which are slidable in bearings on arms 34e arising trom shelves mounted by brackets on the side walls ot the pit. Springs 3T, placed on said rods Q7 and 3,2, hold beams Q5 and 2G in position so as to loosely engage brake shoes ll. while the beams and retarder are not in operation.

The l'orcing means tor operating the beams and thereby the slices preferably comprises electric means in Ithe torm ot powerful electro-umguots $38. which may be adjustably mounted on table 30 and on shelves 35, as with bolt and slot means 3S. as best indicated in Fig. l. so as to vary the pressure oit the beams on the shoes and the retarding etiect ot the shoes on the wheels. These electro-magnets include the armatures or movable members 39 which are secured with arms 4;() to the beams 25 and 2G, tor forcing,` these beams and thereby the shoes against the wheel rims. These electro-magnets are mounted close together at the opposite sides ot the rail and the cri-operating` pair ot chains ot shoes, and will while energized also produce magnetic attraction between the. shoes and the wheels which are being,V clasped there by, thus providing' a compound or double eitlect ot the combined magnetic and clamping' actions o' the shoes on the wheels positioned therebetween, so as to cause the wheels to be positively held and retarded to the desired speed. lilith this adjustable construe tion and this compound retardincY effect of the shoes on the wheels, the wheels may be clamped so firmly as to cause them to slide on the track betore they are released trom the retarder at the time et leaving` the same.

Drive means, preferably in the torni ot electric power means, is also provided for posievely causing the chains ot shoes to travel and at a selected speed, and this means preferably comprises an electric motor di mounted in the pit and driving flexible means 42 which drives a. wheel or member Li3 secured on a shaft ist thereon are fastened sprocket wheels 16 located adjacent one end ot the pit, as best shown in Fig. l. rhis motor and its connected means d2, 4:3, and and 1G, are raged to be set so as to drive the chains ot shoes at the particular speed selected, usually at two miles to three miles an hour, and will retard the cars, by their passage therethrough, to leave at substantially the same speed ot three miles an hour, even though they are ot various weights and enter at dilterent speeds and have acquired vastly different momentum.; because the shoes clasp or clamp the wheels therebetween, iirst ot the jtront truck and then ot the rear truck ot the car, so iirmly and ellectively as to leave the retarder substanti illy at the selected speed ot travel ot the chains ot shoes ot this retarder. laid power means with its driving,- connections is also adapted to drive these chains ot shoes in either one ot the two opposite directions.

utoniatic operating` means is provided tor setting the retarder in operation when a car enters the re"arder and tor again setting' it at rest when the car passes trom the retarder, and this automatic means preferably comprises an auton'iatic control switch 45 interposed in the main operating circuitelta' ot the retarder, and said switch may be oit any suitable constrilotion, as a control circuit wil h a solenoid therein, as shown, tor closing' said switch. `Said circuit 55 is closed by a ear axle and its pair ot wheels moving over thc operating bars di which are placed along the sides ot rails 13 and are depressed by the ilangres /lS et the wheels, as best shown .in Figs. 5 and 6. These bars are mounted on pins elf) which are slidable in spools 5() mounted on angle bars 5l fastened to rails 13. Springs 52 on pins 49 raise said bars eti' into lirm engagement with 'the wheel `flanges and to compensate tor differences in length of flanges; then when the car wheels pass trom these bars et?, as the car leaves the retarder, circuit 55 is again opened, whereby its solenoid is deenerpized, thereby automatically opening the control switch and rendering;` the retarder inoperative or at rest. Insulatinp; means 53 is placed between said angle bars l and the rails 13, as best indicated in Fig. 5.

The electric operating,v mechanism and the automatic control means, as indi 'ated in Fig. S, also inchules a low voltage battery al in Vthe circuit 35 ot the control switch l5, said circuit beine' completed between the metal operatingbars el? by means et the pair oit car wheels and their connecting` axle which are depressing; said bars, as best indicated by Figs. l and S. A master switch is also provided in the main circuit 1G, to open said circuit and place the retarder out ot operation it desired; and a switch 5T is also provided tor cutting-out` the motor il, when said motor is not desire-d or need d for causing` the chains ot shoes to travel, and when the retarding` ettect ot this retarder is not too great on the cars without the aid ot this motor. The electromagnets 38 are connected in parallel in the main circuit, as indicated, to operate automatically upon the closing of the control switch 45, by the entry of the car on the retarder.

Cover means 58 is also provided over the pit or housing, preferably having reinforcing bars 59 thereon, as indicated in 3.

It is apparent that with a car retarder of this improved construction, and by properly adjusting the speed of travel of the driving means for the chains of shoes and the length of the upper wheel engaging portions of the chains of shoes, and by adjusting the electromagnets to the extent desired, the wheels may be clamped sufficiently to retard the car down to the speed of the chains of shoes before it leaves the retarder; and when conditions are favorable, as warm weather for limbering all bearings of the car and a strong wind blowing with the ear coming down the hump onto this retarder in the switch track, then the chain driving` means need not be set in operation for carrying the car slowly forward, as the retarding effect upon such car with increased momentum will not be too great, and the car will not need the aid of the driving means to move it out of the retarder.

1rvVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A car retarder comprising i'neans for Lgrasping the wheels of a car to retard the rotation of said wheels and to travel on the retarder, and means for automatically operating` the retarder by the car passing thereover.

2. A car retarder comprising shoe means for clasping the wheels of a car therebetween and to travel on the retarder in the direction of travel of the car, and means operating automatically to set the retarder in operation by means of the entering car and to set the retarder at rest when said car leaves the retarder.

3. A car retarder comprising traveling shoes for engaging and retarding the car wheels, members along which said shoes travel, and power means to automatically actuate raid members for operating said shoes by means of the car on the retarder.

l. A car retarder comprising traveling shoe means for engaging the car wheels, members along which said shoe means travels, and electro-magnets for operating said members to force said shoe means against the wheels and to hold the wheels thereby through the combined effect of pressure and magnetic action.

5. A car retarder comprising traveling elements for engaging the car wheels and to travel therewith on the retarder, members along which said elements travel, means for operating said members to force said element-s in firm engagement with the wheels and means for automatically actuating the last said means by the car on the retarder.

G. A car ret-arder comiY 'ising shoe means arranged in an endless chain, means on which said chain of shoes travels and including means adjustable for modifying the effective part of said chain of shoes engaging the car wheels, and means for pressing the shoes against the wheels and along which the same travel.

7. A car retarder comprising shoes arranged to travel in an endless chain, drum and idler means on which said shoes travel, means for adjusting some of said means for varying` the effective length of the part of the chain of shoes engaging the car wheels, members along which said shoes slide, and aut nnatically operated means for forcing rid members and thereby the shoes againstthe wheels,

8. A car retarder comprising shoes arranged in several chains, rotary means on which the chains of shoes travel and including means for varying the length of the wheel engaging parts thereof, members along which said shoes slide, power means for forcing said members and thereby said shoes to clasp the wheels, and means for automatically actuating said power means.

9. A car retarder comprising chains of shoes and means whereon they travel, beams relative to which said chains of shoes travel, and magnetic means for operating said beams and force said shoes to clamp and retain the wheels therebetween by the combined effectof pressure and magnetic action.

l0. A car retarder comprising a series of elements, means for forcing the same in engagement with the car wheels, and means for causing said series of elements to travel at a selected speed and in either of two opposite directions, for retarding and discharging the cars uniformly in one .of said directions at said selected speed although the cars are of different weight and come on the retarder at different speeds.

11. A car retarder coniprising a series of shoes for engaging the car wheels, means for forcing the shoes against the wheels, parallel to the axes of the wheels, means for causing said series of shoes to travel at the selected speed and in the selected direction, and means for operating both of said means automatically by the car on the retarder.

l2. A car retarder comprising endless chains of shoes adapted to travel alongside the track rails which are located on the retarder, means for forcing said shoes to clasp the wheels, rotary members and power means for driving them and the chains of shoes, and electric means for automatically operating both of said means by the car on the retarder to clamp the wheels between the shoes and retard the speed of the car substantially to the speed of the traveling chains of shoes.

13. A car retarder comprising several endless chains of shoes, each of said chains of shoes being provided with rotary means for supporting an operative portion of the chain adjacent the track rails7 adjustable means for modifying the eii'ective length of said operative portion for varying the extent of engagement with the car wheels4 means for operating)` said chains of shoes at a selected speed, members for pressing` said shoes against the wheels means for operating said members7 and means mitomatically operated by the car wheels on the retarder for ctnating` the chain operating and the member operating means.

let. i.. car retarder comprising` several endless chains ot shoes, means for supporting` Said chains oit shoes in pairs to have acertain portion operative adjacent the track rail `for elaspin` a wheel between the shoes of one pair. means for driving` said chains of shoes at the selected speed, said driving means being adapted to be le't't idle to let the wheels oit the car travelingon the retardel move the chains of shoes, members for forcingsaid operative portions ot the chains et shoes to clamp the wheels therebetween, power means tor actuatingT said members, and means operated automatically by the car wheels on the retarder for operating' either the driving' means and the power means together, or tor operating' one thereof.

l5. A car retarder comprising a housing having portions et the switch track rails eX- tending thereover7 rotary means and endless chains et shoes thereon mounted in said housiguanas inw'. arranged to have the chains travel and have portions movable adjacent the rails tor clasping the ear wheels, means in the housing for driving said chains ot shoes, members for pressing the shoes against the wheels and along which the rhoes slide magnetic means tor actuating said members and being adjustably mounted in the housing', covering means Yor the housingu and means 'tor automatically operating` the drivin g; mea n s and the magnetic means. `tor clamping' the shoes on the wheels to retain and retard them by the combined effect oit pressure and magnetic action.

1G. A car retarder comprising` a housing` and means therein for supportinga portion ot the switch track rails rotary means and endless chains ot shoes thereon mounted in the housing to travel and have portions operative adjacent the rails tor clasping` the car wheels, beams along; which the shoes slide, magnetic means tor operating the beams to clamp the shoes on the wheels, power means selectively operable for driving` the chains of shoes a certain speed. said power means and magnetic means being mounted in the housing, and means for operating` said power means and said magnetic means automatically by the car wheels on the retarder.

n testin'iony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

LLAM J. LAFFEY. 

